


The Final Countdown

by Rethira



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Soen no Kiseki/Akatsuki no Megami | Fire Emblem Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-01
Updated: 2012-06-01
Packaged: 2017-11-06 13:11:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/419290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rethira/pseuds/Rethira
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Soren watches Ike die.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Final Countdown

**Author's Note:**

> Title chosen by popular vote on Tumblr.
> 
> Written for the fe_fest prompt: ' _Fire Emblem 10 - Ike/Soren - an hourglass gaze; he sees death in every glance_ '

Soren watches Ike die.

That is not to say that while Ike lies on his deathbed, Soren hovers over him, plying him with food and water, searching for a cure. If it ever came to that, Soren would. He would all but chain himself to Ike’s bed, only leaving his side when it was necessary.

But this is not that. Soren watches Ike die each and every day. When Ike was younger, time didn’t have such a hold on him, but now… now there is an egg timer, an hourglass, a clock, counting down each second until Ike’s body finally gives out on him. Each day, Soren wakes up and that’s another day gone; another day less for Ike to live. Some part of Soren has always been aware of that, and after discovering the truth of what he was, it had simply been worse. Each and every text that mentioned the Branded agreed on the same basic points; a marking on their skin, and extended lifespans. Soren has known for years now that he will outlive Ike. Before, when Ike was young, Soren had been able to look ahead and think _but I will be with him for as long as he lives_.

These days, Ike has lived more than half his life. Soren had even been generous, and factored in things he knew Ike didn’t do – like avoid dangerous places, and getting a mixed diet. But all his calculations had given him similar results; Ike was _dying_ , and nothing Soren could do would change that. It shows on him like it doesn’t on Soren; Ike’s face is turning distinctly craggy, and his once vibrant blue hair is greying. He tires faster, and Soren has noticed that some of Ike’s movements are less fluid than they used to be. He’s older now than Greil was when he died – Ike had been pensive for a time after he’d passed that milestone, but he’s since recovered – and his body certainly reflects that.

Ike doesn’t seem to notice. He still smiles like he used to, still talks like he used to, still pushes himself to the very limit like he used to. Perhaps he doesn’t even realise that his limits are less than they used to be, but such things don’t escape Soren’s eyes. Ike is slower now, although still fast enough to take down a fleeing buck. Ike has to turn in earlier, and whenever he goes to chop lumber for them, he comes back with a slightly smaller pile each time. But even so, Ike’s eyes still shine brightly, and he still grins at Soren like he’s a child – although his eyes are going, and Soren can count his laughter lines these days.

When Ike goes to bed – earlier than he used to, so much earlier – Soren will watch him sleep, and then he will stare down at his smooth skinned hands and wish to find a grey hair, or a wrinkle; _something_ , just to show that he’s dying too. But his skin is only marked by decades of handling books, and his hair is just as dark as always, and his skin is pale and healthy and new.

Soren doesn’t look in mirrors if he can help it.

He spends hours watching Ike sleep, before finally giving in and curling up beside him. Ike shifts and rolls so that Soren is tucked up against his chest, and Ike’s arms rest protectively around him – and when Soren drifts off, it’s like it always was. There’s no age in that groggy period between sleep and wakefulness, and Ike’s warm and safe and _Ike_.

And when morning comes, Ike wakes Soren with gentle touches and maybe a few brief kisses and he says, “Hey,” and smiles and they’re both barely twenty again, when this was new and wonderful.

“Ike,” Soren says, and they kiss ever so softly in the sleepy morning light, and if Soren closes his eyes tight he can forget that Ike is dying at all.

Soren watches Ike die, and he dies a little with him too.


End file.
